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Scientists say they have found a way
to make rice less calorific --- boil it with
coconut oil and then refrigerate for half
a day before eating.
According to the Sri Lankan
researchers, treating rice in this way
reduces its calories by up to 60 per cent.
They told the American Chemical
Society how the method made the starch
in the rice less digestible so the body
took on less fuel than it otherwise would.
UK nutrition experts cautioned there
was no quick fix to losing weight.
Starchy foods such as rice, which are
known as carbohydrates, are a good
source of energy. When we eat them,
our body breaks them down into simple
sugars. Any that is leftover will be stored
by the body and quickly converted to
glucose as needed.
But too much glucose circulating in
the blood can ultimately end up being
stored as fat.
Scientists have been experimenting
to see if they can alter foods to trick the
body into absorbing less fuel to keep
blood sugar, and calories consumed,
lower.
UK researchers have already shown
that cooking and then cooling pasta will
create a smaller glucose peak - even if
you then reheat the cold pasta.
And investigators from Sri Lanka say
the same is true for rice.
They tested 38 varieties of rice to find
the best way to boost something called
"resistant starch".
This type of starch is more resilient
to the enzymes the body uses to break
down carbohydrates in the gut, meaning
less of it is absorbed.
And, according to the researchers the
best way to make it is to simmer the
rice for 40 minutes with a teaspoon of
coconut oil, then let it cool and keep it
refrigerated for 12 hours.
Researcher Sudhair James said: "The
cooling is essential because amylose, the
soluble part of the starch, leaves the
granules during gelatinisation.
"Cooling for 12 hours will lead to for-
mation of hydrogen bonds between the
amylose molecules outside the rice grains
which also turns it into a resistant starch."
He said reheating the cooled rice was
fine too---it would not affect the resistant
starch level.
The team is now checking out which
varieties of rice might be best for the
job and whether other cooking oils will
also work.
Sarah Coe, an expert at the British
Nutrition Foundation, said resistant starch
could have a number of health benefits,
as it appears to improve digestion and
gut health and can help regulate blood
sugar levels.
But she said more studies were needed
to examine any potential health effects
of consuming this type of rice.
Reheating cooked rice can be risky
because some food poisoning bugs can
survive cooking.
If cooked rice is left standing at room
temperature, the bacteria can multiply,
which is why rice should be served either
hot or cooled and then stored in a fridge.
Coe pointed out that although rice
and starchy food are an important part
of a healthy, balanced diet, rice con-
A32
body & soul
Guardian www.guardian.co.tt Wednesday, March 25, 2015
YOUR DAILY HEALTH
News and advice
Cut-rate clubs and small studios
catering to niche tastes from barre
classes to yoga have crowded the US
fitness landscape, but big box gyms
that can keep up with rapidly chang-
ing trends may be in a better position
to flex their muscles in the future.
A brightening economy, public health
initiatives and fitness-conscious con-
sumers boosted US gym memberships
from an estimated 40.3 million in 2009
to 54.1 million in 2014, according to
the market research company Ibis
World.
The report predicts the industry,
which generated US$26.5 billion in sales
in the United States last year, revenue
is projected to grow 2.8 per cent annu-
ally over the next five years.
"The industry has certainly grown,"
said Jeff Bodnar, vice president of oper-
ations at New York Health and Racquet
Club (NYHRC). "We have more mem-
bers now and there's certainly more
competition than ever before."
Fitness boutiques, small studios that
specialise in one or two activities such
as spinning or yoga, capture 21 per cent
of the US market, the industry trade
association IHRSA (International
Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Associ-
ation) reported in 2014.
Bodnar said all-purpose gyms are
always adapting to members' changing
tastes and needs by introducing bou-
tique-like group fitness classes, such
as barre and indoor cycling, and adding
trendy "functional" fitness tools like
monkey bars, TRX resistance bands
and medicine balls.
"We're replacing selectorised equip-
ment---weight machines where the
placement of a pin determines resist-
ance---with loaded movement that sim-
ulates what you do in everyday life,"
he said.
Shawn Perine, editor in chief of Mus-
cle & Fitness magazine, said Gold's
Gym, a 50-year-old chain with 700
locations in 38 states and 23 countries,
is reconfiguring many of its gyms to
incorporate the bands, cables and ropes
of the breakout trend CrossFit, an ever-
changing, demanding, back-to-basics
regimen.
"Training styles have become more
sophisticated," Perine explained. "In
60s, 70s it was all just theory. Now we
do studies in labs."
The bigger gyms, he added, are in
a position to deal with the changing
trends. (Reuters)
Big gyms muscling
out the competition
sumption in the UK is generally low.
"Therefore, lowering the calorie content by
the proposed cooking method will not make
a significant difference to obesity levels in the
UK."
British Dietetic Association spokesperson,
Priya Tew, said: "This sounds like it has great
potential, however there are no human studies
on it yet. It is fantastic that research is being done
into different cooking methods.
"I would recommend people stick to cooking rice
using their normal method until there is more infor-
mation available." (BBC)
'Eat rice cold for fewer calories'